How to Tone Your Body Without Losing Weight

Joseph Eitel
|
Reviewed By:
Aubrey Bailey
|
on May 15, 2019

About the Reviewer:

Aubrey Bailey

Aubrey Bailey is a Doctor of Physical Therapy with an additional degree in psychology and board certification in hand therapy. Dr. Bailey is also an Anatomy and Physiology professor. She is a former American College of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer and currently works as a Level 1 CrossFit coach.

About the Author:

Joseph Eitel

Joseph Eitel has written for a variety of respected online publications since 2006 including the Developer Shed Network and Huddle.net. He has dedicated his life to researching and writing about diet, nutrition and exercise. Eitel's health blog, PromoteHealth.info, has become an authority in the healthy-living niche. He graduated with honors from Kellogg Community College in 2010 with an Associate of Applied Science.

The healthiest and most efficient way to firm up flabby areas of the body is through nutrition and exercise. For the best way to tone your body without losing weight, it's important to eat the right foods and focus on a weight-training program. Eating foods high in protein and lifting weights three times a week will lead to a tighter body without any loss of weight. Muscle doesn't take up as much space as fat, so focusing on muscle growth will not only make your body look and feel tighter but also will help you maintain your current weight.

Enjoy a workout to maintain your weight and help you tone up.
(Image: svetikd/E+/GettyImages)

Tip

To build muscle efficiently, you should be consuming enough protein in grams each day to match your body weight in pounds. For instance, if you weigh 150 pounds, try to consume 150 grams of protein a day.

Stoke Your Metabolism

Change your diet. Because you'll be building muscle but not losing weight you must focus on eating high-protein foods that are low in calories and saturated fat. Eat a protein, a vegetable and a fruit for every meal possible. Try to eat every few hours to help keep your metabolism high and your muscles fed properly.

Consume a whey or soy protein shake immediately after each workout. Ideally, you should take in about 50 grams of protein after a workout. Drink a protein shake each morning in addition to the post-workout shakes.

Work Out to Maintain Weight

Begin a weight-training routine. Use a high-quality weight bench set, dumbbells and an exercise ball (for working the core of the body). Start with light weights to avoid injury. Each workout should last 30 to 45 minutes, and you should do three sets of each exercise. The ideal number of repetitions is 12 to 15 per set; use enough weight so that you can do no more than this number of reps.

Work out three times a week with a rest day between workouts. Muscles need time to heal after being broken down during a resistance workout. Focus on two or three muscle groups per workout. For example, Day 1 could involve chest and back muscles, Day 2 could be devoted to legs and abdominal muscles and Day 3 could focus on arms and shoulders.

Increase the amount of weight you are lifting from week to week. As a general rule, do not exceed more than a 10 percent increase in weight from week to week.

How Long It Takes

Follow your diet and exercise program for at least four to six weeks, and the results will be noticeable. You will have a much more toned body, and your body weight will be about the same as when you started the new routine.

What you can do as well is to stay on course by taking your key measurements before you begin. Use a measuring tape to measure around your arms, chest, waist, hips and thighs. And weigh yourself of course. Record the numbers in a notebook or online fitness app and repeat at least once a month. Building muscle but not losing weight is a balancing act.

Warning

Always consult a doctor before beginning any type of weight-training program.

If you feel faint, nauseated, out of breath or weak during a workout, stop exercising immediately.